You're on a Mars mission and an important part on your rover has broken. You didn't pack spare parts because of the weight. Instead, you're going to use your 3-D printer to manufacture a replacement.
The scenario makes sense. But how do materials behave in zero-gravity conditions? How does a droplet settle and dry in space? It's a question the Canadian Space Agency urgently wants answers to. Two UAlberta mechanical engineering graduates conducted experiments aboard the National Research Council's "puke plane" to find out.
Ryan Baily and Farhad Ismail, who is now working towards his PhD, flew aboard the NRC Falcon 20 with two members of another student team from the University of Toronto. Bailey was responsible for running the experiments, operating six pieces of software controlling five pieces of equipment.
The flight consisted of a climb from 11,000 feet to 20,000 feet at a 40 degree angle, creating a force of 2G. At the top of the ascent, the students experience near-zero gravity for just over 20 seconds until the plane began its descent, which also created two G forces.
Working under the supervision of mechanical engineering professor Prashant Waghamre, the team is hoping to return to the skies again to conduct further research.
The scenario makes sense. But how do materials behave in zero-gravity conditions? How does a droplet settle and dry in space? It's a question the Canadian Space Agency urgently wants answers to. Two UAlberta mechanical engineering graduates conducted experiments aboard the National Research Council's "puke plane" to find out.
Ryan Baily and Farhad Ismail, who is now working towards his PhD, flew aboard the NRC Falcon 20 with two members of another student team from the University of Toronto. Bailey was responsible for running the experiments, operating six pieces of software controlling five pieces of equipment.
The flight consisted of a climb from 11,000 feet to 20,000 feet at a 40 degree angle, creating a force of 2G. At the top of the ascent, the students experience near-zero gravity for just over 20 seconds until the plane began its descent, which also created two G forces.
Working under the supervision of mechanical engineering professor Prashant Waghamre, the team is hoping to return to the skies again to conduct further research.